Johannesburg - The minister of transport, Sibusiso Ndebele, has instructed the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) to halt all road projects processes related to the tolling of national roads.

He is of the view that consultative processes should be allowed to take place to offer concerned parties an opportunity to share their views on the toll road programme.

While he believes that the country requires good road infrastructure to meet its economic growth targets, he says this shouldn't put a huge financial burden on the shoulders of consumers.

He says while the first phase of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Plan has delivered good road infrastructure, it was an expensive exercise that has drawn sharp views from the public.

"All spheres of government should be part of a consultative process with all affected parties, consumers in the main. Good infrastructure is a necessity for a better future for our country, but this requirement must not leave our people even poorer," says Ndebele.

The cabinet recently appointed a task team that includes Ndebele and the Pravin Gordhan, the minister of finance, to look into the issue of toll roads.

Ndebele says all these processes, including a consultative processes initiated by the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, should be allowed to reach their logical conclusions to ensure that all parties concerned and their respective views are brought on board.

I think the legislation MUST change back to the way it was, where a toll road MUST have a viable alternative route option. Like the 2 tolls in the Western Cape as they are now, eg: tolled Huguenot Tunnel, alternative Du Toitskloof Pass.

The City of Cape Town proposes to withdraw an inner city road scheme which will release both prime private and City-owned property for development in the eastern city precinct.

If this release is successful it has the potential to unlock substantial development potential in the city that will help promote economic growth and development in Cape Town.

Last week the Mayoral Committee agreed to obtain Council’s permission for the withdrawal of the Canterbury–Maynard link road scheme that was proclaimed in 1973. The item was approved at Council yesterday.
The road scheme affects more than 100 erven and is limiting the development possibilities of more than 1,4 hectares of valuable Central Business District (CBD) land.

The Canterbury–Maynard link road scheme is located between Darling and Mill Street and was earmarked for a double carriageway as part of a ring road around the CBD.

“ If the scheme is withdrawn new development potential will be realised for the Fringe that is located between the CBD, Woodstock and Zonnebloem. The final approval, however, rests with the Provincial Minister of Transport and Public Works,” says Councillor Brett Herron, Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads and Stormwater.
“Technical studies have shown that the Tennant Street road scheme on the periphery of the CBD is a more effective scheme to complete the envisaged ring road.

“The existing road alignment and road reserves of Canterbury and Maynard Streets will not be affected by this process. The status of the road will change from a proclaimed Provincial main road to a municipal street and the proposed widening of the roads will be scrapped,” he says.
“Although this is a complex process, it will serve as a valuable pilot project for the withdrawal of other road schemes within the municipal area. Due to the many role players involved, there will be an extensive public participation process,” says Cllr Herron.

I was a bit bored this morning so I drove to Melkbos. I came back to town via dodgy-as-ever Brooklyn. What the hell were they thinking with that on ramp from Koeberg Road onto the N1? Joining a freeway in the fast lane is insane! It’s like a Port Elizabeth freeway interchange.

I was a bit bored this morning so I drove to Melkbos. I came back to town via dodgy-as-ever Brooklyn. What the hell were they thinking with that on ramp from Koeberg Road onto the N1? Joining a freeway in the fast lane is insane! It’s like a Port Elizabeth freeway interchange.

It's been that way since the 1960s. The problem with the Koeberg Interchange is that it is a complex interchange (three way freeway interchange, five way when Koeberg Road is inclused) packed onto a constricted site.

Cape Town received infrastructure and civil engineering awards for 6 projects today, including 2 for the Hospital Bend Interchange.

Just wrote an email to Cllr. Brett Herron, for Transport, Roads and Stormwater and received a reply in 5 minutes!

This is the email:

Good Afternoon Mike and Brett,

I would like to make a suggestion, regarding our new infrastructure and freeway interchanges. Considering we have scooped 6 infrastructure and civil engineering awards in the City of Cape Town for new assets, such as Hospital Bend; plus, the fact that Cape Town is the World Design Capital 2014, I wish to share some ideas with you both.

We tend to carry the belief in Cape Town, as you stated Brett, that design is only about pretty buildings or spaces; we tend to look at roads and bridges as eyesores, due to our infamous Foreshore Freeways. However, with the completion of Koeberg and Hospital Bend Interchanges, both “infrastructural gateways” to Cape Town’s city centre, let’s look at showcasing them and showing Cape Town’s design flair, turning infrastructure into art and freeways into visual gateways.

I would suggest we firstly light the Anzio Road horseshoe bridge and De Waal Drive overpass at Hospital Bend in this way, to act as a gateway from the N2 and the airport. Then light the two new M5/N1 overpasses at Koeberg Interchange in a similar way as a gateway along the N1. The other two I would suggest improving aesthetically in this way is the elevated Table Bay Boulevard from Oswald Pirow to the CTICC and improving the aesthetic lighting on Airport Approach Rd to the N2. Obviously, lighting them using LED’s to limit running costs and energy consumption. I have attached three photos of what Minneapolis did in the United States. *see pics below signature*

I know all councils have limited budgets, but we have spent so much on this infrastructure and done much to gain the World Design Capital title, hopefully in the coming years we can find a couple spare million to showcase what we’ve achieved and show Capetonians and our visitors that infrastructure can be a point-of-pride and beauty.

Have a good day further…

Kindest Regards
******

The reply:

Dear ******

Thank you for these suggestions, which we will consider. Your email is much appreciated.

Regards

Brett

So, maybe we could see such beautification of our freeways in the future?

Didn't suggest anything for the hanging freeways, as I'd rather see them completed or demolished. However, I suppose in the interim, one could think of something like that, but I think the city gets quite an income from adverts and film rental of the unused freeway.

Six infrastructure projects in the city, with a combined cost of about R500 million, have bagged 15 national and international accolades and awards over the past few years.

The Anzio Road horseshoe bridge at the Hospital Bend Interchange.

The city has welcomed the recognition, saying it was "grateful" to receive it, even though it didn't really expect it, and the recognition tied in perfectly with Cape town being awarded the World Design Capital 2014.

Buitengragt Footbridge (R27.2m) - Shortlisted in both technical and aesthetic categories for short span bridges in the Footbridge 2011 Awards at the 4th International Footbridge Conference held in Wroclaw, Poland. Winner of Bridge Category at South African Steel Awards, 2011, winner of Western Cape Award for Excellence in civil engineering, 2010 and Joint Winner of National Award for Excellence for civil engineering for 2010 held by the South African Institute of Civil Engineering.

Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for transport, roads and stormwater, said the the awards were "great" for the city.

"We didn't expect them, but we are grateful that we got them. It's great to receive this kind of recognition. To be acknowledged is very encouraging for the city," said Herron.

He added that the various projects and designs fell well within the World Design Capital 2014.

"All these projects are designed. They also change peoples lives. For instance, Hospital Bend is a new way of moving. These projects are all design-led and the designs speak to the World Design Capital. Designs are not only about beautiful buildings," Herron said.

Cape Times

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